His work includes producing the Chico Home and Garden Show and he raises sponsorship for the Silver Dollar Fair. Community involvement includes being past president of the Chico Country Day School parents group.

Coolidge said his No. 1 priority is to be a "voice for business," and to focus on jobs and secondly public works improvements.

Getting business permits, whether for a remodel or new construction, is difficult, he said.

"What we're not doing is standing there with open arms," Coolidge said.

"We need to be proactive."

If a person files a permit for a project, someone from the city needs to "walk them through that."

In the past two years there have been no discussions on the council level about business opportunities, he said.

"Talking to businesses should be the only thing we're talking about."

Coolidge said he has visited close to 7,000 homes. Many concerns are about specific neighborhoods, including street repairs and neighbors who play loud music.

A common theme is lack of economic opportunities, he said.

He believes the city should review budgets monthly. Also, savings could come from many small things, a few examples being not to print full-color glossy covers for reports and watching the use of lighting. These things add up, he said.

Among other items, he wants to keep leaf pickup within the city and is against raising downtown parking fees.